With an Eye to the Past

Former State Senator Roger Moe

The day after the February 7, 2001 event, the Honorable Roger Moe, former Senate Majority Leader, addressed the Minnesota Legislature. He told of the profound and moving speech made by Governor Andersen and invited the membership to view the presentation of the 50 year history made by the Council. (Run time 2:17)

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Video is open captioned. Transcript is provided below.

Mr. President, members, yesterday noon I had the opportunity to be in attendance at a luncheon, the luncheon was hosted by the Governor's Council on Developmental disabilities, and this luncheon was to commemorate and acknowledge the 50 year effort to deinstitutionalize our state hospital system and move the developmentally disabled into the communities and families.

And I want first of all to -- and again I realize I'm violating the rules but I will leave this in the back, the Senate was honored and given this wonderful little memento – but the presentation that was made by the Council was an outstanding presentation of this 50 year history, started by Governor Youngdahl, and this evolution up to today, and I've asked Senator Samms if he would be so kind as to allow this presentation to be made before the committee, and he has indicated that he would.

Following the presentation as a surprise to everybody there, Governor Elmer Anderson showed up and they had him speak to this group, and it was the most … there are not many things that move me anymore, but it was truly moving.

Here was a man who was in the State Senate, and he talked about how the State Senate worked on this initiative by Governor Youngdahl and how it was brought to the public's attention by a couple of news reporters at the time about the conditions in our state hospitals.

And it was profound, and I think above all you would feel good about what has happened. And the great thing is fortunately there was a camera there and it caught Governor Anderson's comments.

I would hope the committee would also show those comments, because indeed they were a wonderful civics lesson for all of us.

So I just wanted to bring that to everybody's attention, and to thank all of you for your involvement in that, and I will make sure that this is placed in the retirement room. So thank you for letting me bring this to the Senate's attention.